


To Allure And Impede

by Aisu_Zeilia



Category: jacksepticeye
Genre: A fic without a ship, Antisepticeye Sean McLoughlin, Calm Before The Storm, Henrik von Schneeplestein - Freeform, Jackieboyman - Freeform, Jameson Jackson - Freeform, Marvin the Magnificent - Freeform, Oh My God, The first four chapters, You Better Watch Out, adding tags is fun, and Felix, chase brody - Freeform, does that count?, its a miracle, like goddamn, no main ship here, oh btw mark and his crew are in this, well schneep has a wife thays seen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-06-22 21:04:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15590673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aisu_Zeilia/pseuds/Aisu_Zeilia
Summary: Jacksepticeye Castle AUMarvin Lockens was fifteen when he was brought under Jameson Jackson's wing and first started learning how to control and use his magic. Since then, he's met Henrik Schneeplestein, the Castle's doctor and his father figure, Chase Brody, the Castle's Third in Command and best archer around, Jackie Bullmon, the Second in Command and Head Guard who's always wearing red, and Sean McLoughlin, the King Himself, as well as various others.Yet, despite being with them for more than four years and proving to be a skilled mage, they all still treated him like the shy child they first met. And he was tired of it.What happens when he meets a stranger in the woods, who gives him cards to hand out and disappears into the shadows?What happens when he hides it from everyone?What happens at the Masquerade?W̙͍̠̿̄͘h̬̲͇̻͎̍a̖̣͇̯͌̈͆ͯ̒͊̿t͇̗̖͕̻̽̄̑ ͚̼̜̪̥͎ͪͬ͊ͦͫ̉̚H̻̯͈͎͇͎͇ͣͣ͛͛ͣ̇ã̠̼̝̖̫̌̽ͯ̍̑p̝̌̐̿̔ͩͤṗ̷̻̳ͤ̂͋ͬ̋͒e̫̪̣̽̐ń͓͚̞͈̲̯͡s̶̀̐͋͂̈?̥̖͊͘





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Word count: 1532  
> Warnings: Manipulation, Anti, mild swearing  
> A/N: Thank you to both my beta readers jackjames-exe and lin-apples (both on tumblr) for giving me feedback on this! I was listening to songs in my music playlist, and Ready as Ill Ever Be decided to pop up. I got hit by a bus called inspiration, made a basic character info sheet a couple nights ago and even did a bit of art. Next thing you know, bam over four pages of words and two beta readers to give feedback. So, thanks for reading!

“Why the hell can’t I transfer words from my head to my mouth?!”

Marvin Lockens groaned, his checkered mask shifting slightly as he let his face fall into the spellbook. “I know magic Jamie, why can’t I make this easier?”  
A few feet away, the mute Castle Mage seemed to chuckle, setting his own spellbook on the desk. ‘That would be called cheating’ he signed.  
“The world giving me magic and not a way to control it immediately is also cheating yet here we are,” Marvin shot back, green orbs looking at brown.  
'Thats……fair, I suppose.’ Jameson signed back, taking a moment to think. 'But even if there were a method of making spell learning easier, you would have to learn that as well. ’  
“So basically, there’s no winning.”  
'Winning would be learning the spell, Marvin.’ He paused briefly to flick the checkered feline mask that covered half of Marvin’s face. 'For now, take a break. I do believe Chase had something to show you.’  
His eyes seemed to light up. “Alright! So I’ll see you later, Jamie?”  
'Jameson to you, apprentice. But yes, I do want to see you after dinner.’  
“Gotcha!” Marvin grinned, shooting up from his desk . He waved goodbye to his magic instructor, making sure to grab his cloak on the way out.  
Jameson only smiled and watched his apprentice run off. Despite being 19 already, the mage in training still was as adventurous as if he was the 15 year old found accidentally burning a tree. Not much seemed to change, save for his way of talking around them and his control over magic. To this day, he was still very, very grateful for finding him before anyone else did. If anyone found him and knew what he was capable of, well, it would end in a war gone very, very wrong. Not that he needed to know. Not yet, at least.  
He sighed, picking up the spellbook forgotten on Marvin’s desk. No, there was plenty of time before it was necessary to tell him, he thought as he bookmarked and reshelved the leather book.

____________________

Marvin strode through the halls, looking out the tall windows. Four years ago and he would have stopped to admire the view. Well, that or get lost in the maze of a castle. Then again, he hadn’t been in any other castle, so who’s to say this wasn’t normal castle floor plans?  
He blinked, looking away from the window when the sound of footsteps came closer. “Oh hey Jackie!” He greeted the Head Guard. “Do you know where Chase went? Jamie said he had something to show me.”  
Jamie shrugged, readjusting the two books he was currently carrying. “I think he mentioned something about heading to the gate. The one that leads to the westward forest?”  
“Thanks Jackie! See you later!”  
“No problem Marv! Don’t get into too much trouble! Oh, is Jamie in his room or his office?”  
“Office!” He called back, jogging off in the direction of the gate.

____________________

“Chase!” Marvin called, stopping briefly to catch his breath. “Jamie said you wanted to see me?”  
“Yeup!” The slightly older guard grinned, hopping down from the chestnut mare he had just been riding. “I was out doing a bit of patrol work earlier, and found something really weird and more your department than mine. Figured I should show you and get your input about it. I saddled up Sal for you already, shes in her stall.”  
“Thanks, but how’d you know I’d be able to come with you and not stuck studying my spells?” He questioned, walking with chase the short distance to the stables.  
“I didn’t. That’s why she’s still in her stall.”

____________________

“Sooo…..what are we lookin for?”  
They were both doing a simple trot, Chase leading on his mare Kit while Marvin followed on his own paint.  
“Well, I saw footprints earlier, ” He glanced back at the apprentice. “Would’ve dismissed it, with this being a forest and all, but they seemed like they were coming from the castle. And since i know none of the staff like to go in these woods, I went to check em out. After a while, I reached a clearing and poof, they dissappear right smack in the middle.”  
“So?” Marvin tilted his head a bit. “Couldn’t they have just stepped on something, like a stone, to hide their footprints? Or really dry ground?”  
Chase shook his head. “Nope. There were stones around, but no footprints after that. And the ground was all muddy too, from yesterday’s rain. Speaking of stones, they were really weird.”  
“Weird how?”  
“Playing ring around the rosy weird. Literally. They were in a ring.” Chase deadpanned. He paused momentarily, looking around and shifting directions slightly before continuing his trot.  
“And you went to me instead of Jamie because…?”  
“I have less of a chance feeling like I dissapointed you than Jameson if it’s actually just nothing. That and i still don’t completely understand sign.” He shrugged.  
“Chase Brody: Most skilled marksman, can shoot down anything a mile away…never understanding sign.” Marvin teased, speaking in a stereotypical murder mystery tv show host voice.  
“Hey, I just dont want to say fuck you instead of hello to someone in sign!” Chase replied, going along with the tease as he spoke overdramatically.  
“I’m pretty sure it’s practically impossible to confuse a wave and flipping the bird Chase”  
“ Well excuuuuse me princess!”

____________________

“Is this it?”  
Marvin looked around, taking in the view. It seemed peaceful enough, about an acre of slightly muddy grass. A few feet away, footprints were left in the mud that moved towards the middle of the clearing. It ended abruptly at a ring of almost completely white stones, the last pair of footprints in the middle of the ring. After that, there were none. No signs of backtracking either.  
“Yeah. Weird, isn’t it?” Chase commented, not bothering to dismount. He wasn’t the mage, afterall.  
“Definitely. But never fear. Marvin the magnificent shall figure this out!” He exclaimed, overdramatically dismounting his horse.  
“Yeah yeah, ” Chase snickered, doing the best mock bow he could from the back of a horse. “The floor is yours, Marvin the Magnificent.”  
Marvin snorted, walking closer to the odd ring. He shut his eyes, and let himself sink into his magic, let himself reach out-  
“Wha - Hey! Easy girl, easy! Sal, come back!” A distressed Chase called out. Marvin looked back at the mares, watching his run off after being spooked by something. Chase pulled on the reins of his own, attempting to calm her a bit while also turning to go after Marvin’s.  
“Don’t worry, I’ll go get her! You work your magic! ” he called, galloping after the paint that ran into the woods.  
Marvin blinked, watching them for a moment before shaking his head. Clear thoughts, afterall. Focus. Sink into his magic. Let himself be surrounded. Let himself be aware of it all around him. Let himself feel for the traces of magic around the st-  
His thoughts were cut off as a sharp cry escaped his lips. Back colliding and sliding across mud and wet grass, Marvin seemed to be pulled into the shadows of the woods.  
The Mage scrambled to his feet, hand moving to grip the hilt of the blade that was always by his side. Right now, he was just dragged by something and could sew absolutely nothing but darkness.  
“they don’t appreciate you, do they~?”  
“What…who…of course they do! Who’s out there!?” He looked around wildly, trying to find the source of the scratchy voice.  
“You know they see you as a child.”  
“No they don’t! shut up and show yourself!” Marvin cried out, unsheathing his sword.  
“They don’t see you as someone who they can really depend on.”  
“Of course they do! They’re my friends!” Though, he wasn’t entirely sure. His grip faltered slightly.  
“Are they? Or are they only entertaining you? You know how he is afterall…”  
“Shut up! You’re wrong!” Tears pricked the corner of his eyes, his stance becoming stiff and sloppy.  
“No one sees what you can do. What you can accomplish.”  
Green eyes peered at him through the darkness. They looked at him, curious.  
“I can make them see the power you hold.”  
“…really….?” Marvin lowered his sword, blinking away tears.  
“Really. Come now, I’ve been honest this far. Put a little trust in someone.” The eyes disappeared, and Marvin felt clawed hands wrap around his shoulders, someone leaning onto their back.  
“….what do i have to do…?” Eyes narrowed, Marvin still kept his guard slightly up. It was a stranger, afterall. But the offer that was given….it was too intriguing.  
“Simple. Show your magic to the town. Your true magic, ” the person purred, slipping a small deck of cards into his hand. “The townsfolk already love you for your false tricks. But, try using these. They are, of course, real magic, made to assist with every card trick in the book. And let each person have a card until there are no more. Let them have something to remember your name by~” One clawed finger continued tapping the deck.

“Will you accept~?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2  
> Word count: 1587  
> Warnings: nostalgia, lies, high anxiety levels  
> Whoop, chapter two is up and runnin! I had a bit of fun, mainly with the reminiscing part. Again, thank you to my beta readers, lin-apples and jackjames-exe . I dunno what else to say, except im not really sorry for the ending. Oh, and I'm on tumblr too! You can find me on there as aisu-zeilia, as well as other info about this fic!

“Marv, there you are! I got Sal and came back only to find you gone.” Chase commented, approaching him with reins in each hand. He paused, examining the ruffled apprentice. “….what…happened to you? You’re covered in mud and theres a buncha grass on your back. ”

Marvin blinked, looking around. “What? Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Nothing to worry about!”  
“….you sure?” Chhase looked at him suspiciously, handing him the reins to Sal.  
“Yeah, im perfectly alright, ” Marvin replied, an attempt to brush off any concern. “I just thought I sensed something, but all it was is older magic. Like, weeks old, and I was barely able to sense it.”  
Chase crossed his arms, sending him a blank look. “That doesn’t explain the mud. ”  
“….may or may not have fallen down a ditch….” Marvin looked away sheepishly as the guard began to laugh. Immediately the tips of his ears were turned pink.  
“ Hey, its not funny!” He attempted to defend himself. “I can’t really see when im looking for traces, my eyes have to be shut!”  
“Sure, sure. Whatever you say, ” Chase waved his hand, yet still qore a smug grin on his face. “Now come on. I trust that you’re alright, but it would be best if you got checked on. So go see Henrik after you change, okay?”  
“Fiiine” Marvin rolled his eyes, mounting his paint. He readjusted his cloak a bit once in a while as they rode home, chattering the entire ride home. Jokes were occasionally made, all the qay to the gate.  
Chase never noticed the new deck of cards on the sheath of his sword.

____________________

“Ah, Marvin! Good to see you, ” Henrik Schneeplestein commented, looking up from the bandages that were currently being reorganized. “Sit, sit! What can I do for you?”  
“Hey doc, ” Marvin commented, having pit on fresh clothes after washing off. “Chase sent me.”  
Henrik huffed. “Why? Did zhe lad get stuck in something again? I warned him to not go down zhe laundry chutes!”  
He snorted, hopping onto the stool by the Castle medic. “As funny as that would be, no. Actually, i was out with him earlier and may or may not have fallen down a ditch…”  
“If I had a coin every time one of you fell down into something in zhe woods.” Henrik rolled his eyes. “Is your ankle sprained or anything?” He set the box of bandages to the side and turned to face the apprentice.  
He ahook his head. “No, I feel fine. But Chase still wanted me to get an ok from you.”  
“Considering how many falls he takes, I should be less surprised.”  
Henrik stepped closer, examining a few joints and liftingthe back of Marvin’s shirt to check for any bruising or scratches. All the while, the patient seemed unusually quiet. “…Is something zhe matter, Marvin? ”  
Marvin blinked. “Hm? No, why do you ask?”  
“Well, its as if something is on your mind. Like something is concerning you.”  
He thought for a moment. “Nothing comes to mind at the moment Doc. But I’ll let you know if it ever changes.”  
Henrik was hesitant to let him go so easily. If something was actually bugging him, then they should talk, right? “….Alright. But feel free to come and talk to zhe good doctor if ypu ever need to!”  
“Soooooo any other doctor. Got it.”  
“I’ll have you know I am a 100% qualified real doctor!”  
“I know, I know! Im kidding around Henrik.”  
“Hmpf” He continued his examination , having him stand, walk around, hop, and do a couple of other basic actions to make sure he was alright and not feeling any pain. “Well, as far as I can tell, you seem to be physically alright. ”  
“Thanks doc!” Marvin stretched, feeling a satisfying pop in his back. He walked over to the door, but paused.  
“….hey Henrik…?”  
-Hm?“ The doctor had turned back to his work, reorganizing a few scattered papers on his desk.  
”…..nothing, nevermind, “ he shook his head. Best not to disrupt someone busy, afterall. "See you at dinner?”  
“See you at dinner, Marvin.” He replied, smiling behind the surgical mask he always wore.

____________________

Marvin inhaled, wandering the halls of the castle aimlessly. He knew where he was, since he had spent years already wandering the many rooms the stone building held. He knew where to turn to reach the ballroom, the dining room, the foyer, the library, as well as everyone’s room.  
The Apprentice paused, looking up at a stained glass window. It was tall, showing a dark and a light figure. Solaris and Lunairis. The sun and the moon. As the hall continued to stretch further and further, the story of the creation of life continued being told.  
He took a few steps back, leaning against the walls. Eyes shut, head tilted up, and overall simply just basking in the memories and the nostalgia. Marvin chuckled to himself.  
When he first came here, he would always come back to this hall, always seeming to read the story on the windows just a little bit different each time. And each time, he could spend hours on end just sitting in this hall. What did he call it again? Hall of histories?  
Histories indeed. It not only reminded him of the history of the land, but his own history as well. His first spell took place here. He was continuously muttering the words, making sure he got them right. Next thing he knew, an entire suit of armor had toppled over. Marvin laughed, remembering how he ran away and hid for hours.  
The old grandfather clock chimed. Five o'clock. Almost time for dinner.  
With a sigh, he opened his eyes and continued his wandering. The difference now, though, was that his aim was for his own room.

____________________

“Hey teach!” Marvin opened the door to Jameson’s office, smiling at his instructor and his sovereign. One arm cradled a book, the other held the door open.  
‘Hello Marvin,’ Jameson signed, a small smile on his lips  
“Hey Marv!” Sean waved, currently sitting in the seat that was usually reserved for the mute mage.  
“Ohey Sean!” Marvin chimed, walking in with a pep to his steps. He set his book down on his chair, opting to sit on his desk instead. “Whatchu two doing?”  
'Nothing much.’ He signed, turning slightly so both Sean and Marvin could see and understand his sign language. 'Just discussing the Ball in a few days.’  
“The one for Mark’s birthday? ” Marvin asked, head slightly tilting.  
“Yeah, ” Sean nodded. “Him and a few of his and my court members should be arriving over the next couple of days. They’ll all be attending.”  
“Is Felix coming, and will he be coming early?” He asked.  
Sean chuckled. “If I didn’t invite him he’d probably send us a crate full of ducks again. And you know him. He’s always early so he has a say in the decor. ”  
“That sounds about right,” Marvin shrugged. “And I do not have to attend the masquerade, right?”  
He winced slightly. “About that……no, you have to attend the masquerade.”  
“What!” He squawked. “Why!? I’ve never had to attend before!”  
'Because you’re the next court mage. As such, you have to attend all functions,’ Jameson signed calmly, not even flinching at the outburst. He had gotten used to it after teaching him for so long, afterall.  
“He’s not wrong, Marv. We’ve given you the freedom to decide for the past four years.” Sean spoke up, trying to play off the jump that was caused by Marvin’s sudden outburst.  
“Jamie is already attending! Why do I have to go too?!” He protested. No, he didnt want this.  
'We already told you.’ Jamie signed.  
“ That doesnt explain shit! It’s my life, i shouldn’t have to go if I don’t want to!”  
“Marv, please just ca-”  
Sean was cut off by a sudden slam on the desk. Jameson had slammed the book that was previously in between his arm and side onto the wood desk loudly. He quickly began signing, even somehow adding a very angry tone to it.  
'Marvin, listen to me! For the past four years we have given you freedom and choice for every event bevause you were a child. But now its time to grow up. You aren’t the child on the streets anymore so quit acting like it!’  
Marvin blinked. He could feel the tears building up, breathing becoming slightly more difficult. “…….you can’t make me go if you can’t find me. ”  
Suddenly he was running, slamming the door open. He didn’t care where to. He just needed out. He needed space. Safety. He needed to get away. He couldn’t see. He could barely feel himself run into someone. Couldn’t hear the shouts of alarm, the footsteps behind him.  
He didnt know how, but he reached his room. Yet, Marvin still didn’t feel the freesom, the space he craved. The room was too small, too confining. He needed out. So, the young mage grabbed a bag, a clean and veey basic cloak, as well as a different, more basic mask.  
Marvin threw open the balcony doors, ignoring the feverent knocking at his door, the shouts to get his attention. He was already climbing down the vines that grew onto the walls of the stone. By the time someone unlocked the door, he would be gone. There would be no finding him anywhere on castle grounds. Marvin had run away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3  
> Words: 1439  
> Warnings: Mental Breakdown, vague mentions of abuse, self deprecating talk  
> A/N: OOOOHHHHHHHH BOY YALL ARE GONNA MURDER ME FOR THIS CHAPTER AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Not gonna lie i hurt myself writing this. But hey, I TRIED ADDING FLUFF and ended up adding angst too im SORRY.
> 
> and btw, thank my beta readers lin-apples and jackjames-exe as per usual, and you can still find me as aisu-zeilia on tumblr. Cya!

Inhale. Exhale. In. Out. Left. Right. Left. Right. Blink. Keep running. Dont look back.

they don’t care. They can do better. They dont need you. They’ll throw you out too.

Marvin kept running. He ignored the branches hitting his face. Ignored the searing pain in his chest. Ignored the cold, the tears in his clothes. Run away from them. Run away from those thoughts. Don’t think. Focus on running. Don’t let them find you. Hide. Don’t disappoint them.

He didn’t know when he reached the familiar house, nor how. All he knew was that one moment he was tearing through the mud, falling, running. The next, hes shivering, wet from tripping into the small stream, knocking on the dark wood door.

A woman opened the door, wavy red hair messy and tied back. She blinked for a few moments, before registering how the mage apprentice in front of her looked. “…Marvin? Marvin, hon, what happened?!” She exclaimed, cupping his face and pushing his green hair away from his eyes. “Come in, come in!”

“You…what happened hon? You’re covered in dirt and you’re wet, Lucy can you start the fire?” She pulled him inside, already working to remove the wet articles of clothing. “Lets get you warmed up so you dont get pneumonia or hypothermia, ok?” Lucy, who Marvin remembers seeing with Henrik and Marissa, had brought over a quilt and handed it to her mother. She promptly wrapped him up, pulling him to the fire. “Come here, tell me what happened. Talk to me.”

Marvin was tearing up, shivering and curling close to the mother figure. Everything in his mind was beginning to settle in, and it was terrifying him. But Marissa didn’t push, just held him while Lucy wrapped around his waist. "…..it’s okay hon, you’re alright…you’re safe…..“

The dam broke, and suddenly he was clinging to her, sobbing, letting everything spill from his lips. Telling her about the woods, the mystery person, the cards. He told her about the ride home, the lies he told, the outburst. He told her about how he snapped, how he ran from them, how he ran away from the castle. He told her about how he was scared and didnt know why, how he was terrified.

The entire time, she listened. She held him close, carding a hand through his green hair. She didn’t let go. Lucy had left, most likely to retrieve something to help comfort the apprentice.

” …..oh hon…..“ Marissa breathed, seeming to hold him even closer than before. "i won’t tell Henrik about this, or Jamie. But i do advise you to give those cards away and get rid of them.” A whine escaped Marvin’s lips. He didnt want to confront them, not now. There was too much fear, too much tension.

Marissa seemed to sense this. “It doesn’t have to be immediately, just soon, alright? Now, Henrik isn’t due home any time soon, with the masquerade coming up. And I’m not telling anyone about you being here, so if you want to stay for a few days you go ahead. But for now, lets get you cleaned up.” The ginger helped him up, guiding him to the guest room. She chuckled, seeing a bunch of her daughter’s stuffed animals being spread over the bed. Even Marvin smiled softly at the sight, the 10-year-old’s attempt at cheering him up warming his heart.

“There’s clothes on the bed. If you need anything either come get me or tell Luce to come get me, okay?” Marissa murmured. “My room is right down the hall.”

Marvin was torn. On one hand, he wanted to go in that room and disappear forever. On the other hand, he wanted, no, needed comfort. He needed to be held, to be told it was alright. He needed to feel safe.

He fell onto his knees, wrapping his arms around Marissa. She made a small noise of surprise, but held him tight. It didn’t matter that Marvin was an adult, it didn’t matter that it had been years since he was held like this. No, right now it was a mother, holding the scared fourteen year old child that was covered in scars and left on the streets to die, all because he had abilities that were feared. All because he didn’t know control yet.

She guided him to the bed carefully, turning around only to let him change into more dry clothing, and tucked him in. At one point, Lucy had joined them, curling up next to Marvin. Marissa had smiled, and stayed with them. She hummed a lullaby, only stopping when they were both asleep. Carefully, she took off the mask that hid his scars, and set it on the nightstand.

She smiled, pressing a kiss to both Marvin and Lucy’s foreheads. While Marvin was only a little more than ten years younger than her, and found on the streets, he was her child. And just because he was nineteen, that made no difference to her.

Marissa got up, blowing out all but one of the candles. She quietly walked to the door, taking one last glance at the pair.

“Sweet dreams Marvin, Lucy” she murmured, shutting the door.

____________________

“You don’t really believe her, don’t you?" 

Marvin whirled around, seeing the figure of the person in the woods. Around him, there was nothing but a black void. It seemed to be endless, not an ounce of light anywhere. And in the center of it all was a dark silhouette of a person, covered by a cloak. Though, he could see the green eyes underneath the hood, slitted like a cat’s.

"You think that you can stay away for a day or two, and everything will be alright?” The male continued, steadily approaching the mage. “You think it will be normal? News flash, Marvin, it won’t be! They’ll use this against you. Call you a child, make choices for you. Never give you your freedom.”

“….whst do I do?” Marvin looked down, defeated. Whoever he was….he was right. They would see him as the baby, the child that was brought to Jameson four years ago. Nothing more.

The figure grinned. “ Perform. Pass out the cards. Make yourself known. If everyone loves you, it will be easier for you to have the freedom you crave. The freedom you NEED. The freedom they won’t give you.”

The world seemed to grow darker, and Marvin could tell he was waking up.  
“And one more thing. Don’t tell her about this. In fact, don’t tell anyone.” His voice echoed, before the figure surrounded by darkness disappeared from his vision.

_____________________

“-vie! Marvie!”

Marvin shot up, breathing heavily. He was slightly ahaking, and covered in a cold sweat. Light peeked in from behind the curtains, and a candle close to dying sat on the dresser.

He jumped, feeling hands wrap around his waist. It was Lucy, hair messed up and looking worried for the older male. “….you were shaking and saying things….” She murmured, sounding concerned and scared. Marvin was like her older brother, afterall. And to see him vulnerable….it was scary to see those who are like protectors break.

Marvin breathed a sigh of relief, pulling her in for a proper hug. “Shh, its okay….I’m alright, see? Just a bad dream.” He murmured. He was well aware that later he would be handing out cards, giving everyone a hint of magic in their lives. But for now, it felt like his heart was saying that it was best to stay and be a protective older brother. And so he would listen, at least for a little while.I

______________________

Jameson was pacing. He had hardly any sleep, save for when he dozed off for just over two hours at his desk. So far no one had found him. Sean had to stay in the castle, so he tried to help search in discreet ways. Henrik had stayed as wel, in case Marvin returned or was brought back injured. Chase had taken his horse and combed through the woods, finding nothing but a couple scraps of material too close to the castle to help. Jackie had taken to the streets, having no luck. He even tried Marissa and Henrik’s house, but she denied him ever coming by. 

To say he was stressed was an understatement. He was filled with concern, worried about Marvin. It was his fault, he was the one who snapped. And, according to Henrik and Chase, he had been acting weird all day. Yet he never noticed it.

Jameson sat down in his chair, running a hand through his hair and leaning back.

He just hoped Marvin was okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHOOOOOOO okay just a heads up:
> 
> Marissa is Henrik’s wife. We dont have a canon name for her or her child’s canon name/gender. All we know is that Henrik has a wife and kids, and I had a friend name her. She found Marvin on the street, face scarred up and just overall beaten up. She took him in as her own child, then he started going with Henrik to the castle to be taught by Jameson. He would always go home with Henrik tho.
> 
> now you know.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4  
> Word Count: 1703  
> TW: None omg its just a nice chapter FINALLY.

"Bye Ma! I'll be back in a few days!" Marvin stepped out onto the dirt road, turning back to face the older female. She smiled at him.  
"Alright Marvin. Now remember, stay safe and talk to Henrik about what happened. And get rid of those cards. Throw em into the river or something," Marissa responded, leaning against the doorway. Her hair was tied back, and she seemed to be dressed very casually. Most likely a work day for her.  
Marvin chuckled and nodded. "Alright, I will. But..." He pauaed, glancing around before opening his bag. He pulled out a card, holding it out for her to take. "...can you keep one with you? You're the only one who knows the full story right now, and I do want Jameson to take a better look at one. And I want to get rid of the deck."   
Marissa hesitated. On one hand, she wanted to help him in any way she could, even if it meant her demise. On the other hand, it was a magic card and she had no experience with magic, save for the minor tricks Marvin would show her once in a while.  
"...Alright., " She gave in, taking the card from his hand. The King of Diamonds. "I'll give it to you next time you come back, or at the masquerade."  
"Thanks Ma, " He grinned, taking the last step forward so he could just wrap his arms around her and give her a hug. Marvin was definitely quite the hugger, able to help people feel like they were right at home in his embrace.  
Marissa smiled, pulling away after a minute and playfully shooing him away. "Now, get outta here! I got a daughter to entertain and you got cards to drown!"  
The Apprentice laughed, waving to her as he walked down the road towards the city square.

Marvin stepped onto the cobblestone square, where shops called out to citizens and people milled about. He glanced around, before settling to sit at the statue. It was of a horse, rearing up and ready to run into battle. On the base, countless names were etched onto stone, the people who died during The War of Divisions.

He sat on the base, opening his pack and shuffling through his deck, as well as the one that was gifted to him. The backs of the cards that were gifted to him were identical to the ones he had kept for a while, but the numbers were different and his name was etched along the side of each card in loopy calligraphy.  
"Marvin the Magnificent" each one read.  
he shuffled through the new cards, setting the older ones back into the bag. He would replace as he went along. For now, he would continue to look at each card.  
His thoughts were interrupted by a girl, no older than eight, looking at him curiously.  
"Do you do magic?" Shrhe asked, head tilted slightly.  
Marvin nodded. "Mhm. Would you like to see a trick?"  
The girl nodded, and he fanned out the magic cards. "Pick a card, milady."  
Her eyes scanned over them for a minute, before picking one close to the center. He smiled. "Dont tell me what card it is. Instead, let the number and the shape rest in your heart, in your mind. Then, slide it back wherever you want. Could be where you got it from, could be elsewhere." He instructed. The child complied, sliding the card back with the rest of the cards. Instead of looking through the cards, however, he shuffled the deck once more.  
"By the way, did I mention that you are a beautiful little girl. You have lovely braids, and -" he cut himself off, reaching forward. Marvin plucked a piece of paper hidden in her hair. " Sorry, but this was in your hair. " The girl's face lit up as she looked at her card from before.  
The Queen of Hearts.  
Marvin smiled, handing her the card. "Keep it. The Queen of Hearts belong with such a loving little girl like you, afterall."  
The girl smiled, bouncing as she took the card and hugged the mage. He hugged her back, and waved as she ran back to her mother.

The day continued like that, with the occasional small crowd. It was mostly children, but there were a few teens and adults who wanted to watch (and flirt. But, he brushed it off.)  
"Marv? What the hell are you doing?!"  
The young mage froze like a deer in headlights, turning to face the all too familiar voice. " ...hey Jackie...." He smiled sheepishly.  
"Marvin, we were worried sick!" The red-clad guard exclaimed , hugging Marvin a bit tightly. Not that he minded. Jackie had hugs that felt like home. "When Jamie said you ran away and Doc mentioned you didn't seem to be allright, we all panicked like crazy! I don't even think Jack got a wink of sleep! Are you okay?! "  
"Jackie, I'm fine, promise," Marvin pulled back, letting his hands rest on his shoulders. "I stayed at Marissa's house last night, and vented it all out already."  
" but she said you weren't there! "  
"I didn't really want to see anyone last night..."  
Jackie winced slightly. "That's...fair, I guess. But what are you doing here?!"  
"I didn't want to go back to the castle yet, and so i figured I could entertain a crowd for a bit," Marvin shrugged.  
" Well....do you want to go back soon? I know it's a bit of a sore subject, but we do need to get you ready for tomorrow night," He paused, looking at Marvin to gauge his expression. "And both Felix and Ethan are here too, by the way."  
Marvin groaned, his lips curling into a hint of a smile. "Let me guess, them and Chase already broke something?"  
Jackie laughed. "Nah, they're holding off until you join the party. " He commented.  
He snorted, walking with the guard back to the castle grounds. Marvin explained a little bit of what happened, save for the mystery man and his cards. And Jackie told him about some of his stories when he first came to join and got into all sorts of trouble.

"...Jameson...?"   
Marvin peered inside the office that doubled as his lesson room. As expected, Jameson was pacing, hair a mess from running his hands through it and looking exhausted. What was definitely unexpected,though, was the bone crushing hug from said magic instructor.  
It took him a moment, but Marvin snapped out of his surprise to give him a hug back.  
Jameson pulled back, giving the younger male a once over as he signed an apology. 'Marvin, I am so, so sorry for lashing out at you. You didn't deserve that, especially since there appears to have been other thoughts in your mind.'  
"No, I'm sorry," He rested his hands on Jameson's, keeping from signing any protests. "The way I reacted was childish, and I'm sorry for running off like that."  
'The way you reacted was reasonable,' Jameson shook his head, having shaken off his hands so he could respond. 'I was in the wrong for forcing it onto you. '  
"Actually....you' were right," He shrugged. "I do need to start attending these, despite how stuffy they are. But...can I choose which ones to go to?"  
Jameson smiled, signing a quick 'I don't see why not,' before hugging Marvin again.

Marvin shut the door behind him before ungracefully faceplanting into his bed. He was tired, having talked out some of his feeling to Jamie. He had listened, giving input here and there, as well as coming to a few compromises, one of which being that this would be the only ball he would be forced to attend, since the invitations had announced that they would be introducing the next Castle Mage. But afterwards, he could pick and choose, but he had to have an open mind about all of them.  
He shifted onto his back, taking his mask off and looking around his room.  
Marvin blinked, sitting up. There was a package on his desk, one that definitely hadn't been there last night.  
He got up, taking the few steps needed to reach his desk and investigate them. The top one was small, covered in brown paper and tied with a green ribbon. The bottom one, on the other hand, was larger and heavier. It was covered with brown paper as well, but this one had been tied up with twine and had a note under the strings.  
He slipped the note out from under the string, flipping it over to read the slightly messy handwriting.   
*The Tailor will make any needed adjustments tomorrow and have all the cufflinks and stuff. In the meantime, have fun trying it on! -C*  
Marvin rolled his eyes, undoing the string. In the brown paper was a suit, deep blue with a white undershirt. Pants the same shade of blue were also in the package, and black shoes to top it all off. They really knew his color scheme, didn't they?  
He turned to the second package, slipping off the ribbon. Inside was a mask, a white cat one. On the forehead were the card houses, and there was a slight eyeliner around the edges of the eye holes. There were also red dots, three above his right eye and three below his left. The nose was red, and two small teeth peeked out from behind the muzzle. There was black around the edges of the mask, and green filled the middle of the ears.  
Whoever picked this out (most likely Robin, he figured. That guy knew how to make things look amazing.) definitely knew him well, because he absolutely LOVED it. It was like it was calling to him.  
His thoughts were interrupted by nails tapping on his door, and a familiar voice coming from the other side. "Knock knock its Party o clock!"  
Marvin laughed, setting the mask down and grabbing his original one off of his bed. "I'm coming, I'm coming! Hold your horses Felix!" He exclaimed, slipping it on.  
"The horses are outside Marv!"  
"Shut up Ethan!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words: 1439  
> Warnings: Bad feelings, broken mirrors, spells. And puppet Marvin.  
> A/N: Im sorry but at the same time I'm not.

Marvin blinked, looking at his reflection. The masquerade had begun not too long ago, and he was waiting for Jackie to come and tell him that it qars almost time for him to be announced.

"Well Marv, this is it," he murmured, deep green eyes staring at his reflection. One hand reached forward, gently touching the glass with his hand.

He had put on the full suit, after his meeting with the tailor and Robin. Robin explained a bit about the event, and when he was to be announced. He had also explained a couple of ground rules ("No causing trouble with Chase, Felix, and Ethan") and a couple of etiquette reminders.

Marvin stared at the mask in his hands. He knew what he had to do, he knew that he had to be a happy person and show the world he was worthy of their time. But part of him just felt tired of putting up the front. He was tired of being seen as just a child, someone to be babied. Someone not worth their time.

He exhaled softly, looking at his scarred face and dim, deep green eyes. The mask was put onto his face and tied in the back. He smiled, good enough to pass off for being okay. It would be hard to see he was distressed, if he put on a mask and smiled afterall.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Marv?" Jackie called out from behind the wood. "It's almost time. Are you ready?"

Marvin stole a glance at the mirror one last time, flashing a lackluster grin at himself before opening the door and following the guard.

\--------------------

"And now, Marvin Lockens, Current Royal Mage's Apprentice and next to take the role of Royal Mage."

Marvin rolled his shoulders, taking smooth, elegant strides down the steps. He held a serene expression, though most of it being hidden behind his mask. Murmurs spread through the small crowd that had paid attention, some intrigued, some slightly impressed, and even a few who made hushed comments about his beauty.  
Once he reached the bottom of the steps, he looked around and flashed a smile at anyone who had been looking at him. He didn't like being watched.

A woman stepped forward, dressed as a fawn. "Can you show us some magic? " She inquired, her companion stepping forward as well.

"Well, since I'm still in training, not extravagant ones, " He gave them a sheepish smile. "But I can do plenty of card tricks, ones that definitely aren't slate of hand milady."

"And how do I know you're not lying?" She looked suspiciously at him.

"Well, think of a card. Any card you can think of in the deck." Marvin pulled out the deck from his front pocket, a mix of the few gifted cards he had left and the ordinary cards he previously owned. The woman's face seemed to be scrunched up in thought, and he shuffled the deck a bit.

Marvin held the cards out in his hand, fanning them out a bit before he picked a certain card that just seemed to have a string or something being pulled on it. He took the card and held it up.

The Ten of Diamonds, each one rotating in sync and seemingly sparkling in the light.

The woman's eyes widened. "How did you do that?" She questioned, eyes wide and looking quite mystified.

He smiled. "that would be one of the universe's many unanswered questions, milady. "Marvin bowed, taking the female's hand and slipping the card into her grasp. "The Ten of diamonds, for a woman who's worth many more."

\--------------------

The evening went on like so, with Marvin having given out all but two of the cards that were from the mystery deck when he felt a tug. It wasn't like when he used his cards, it was much more prominent than that. It was like someone tied a rope around him and yanked it hard.

Marvin looked around the crowd for a bit, eyes settling on Sean talking with another guest, Signe at his side. He slipped through the crowd, tapping his shoulder.  
"Hey Sean, can I talk to ya for a second?"

Sean blinked, turning to face the apprentice. "Hm? Oh, yea. What's up?"

"Something seems....off," Marvin struggled to find the right words to describe the feeling. "Like, it feels like something is here that isn't supposed to be."

He turned away from his guests, Signe taking the conversation over in his absence. "Like what?"

Marvin glanced around uneasily, wary of the people surrounding them. ...Id rather not say when we're surrounded by people. "

"Can you pinpoint where it feels off?" Sean asked. Marvin nodded.

"Then talk and walk."

\--------------------

"It's in here....." Marvin trailed off, pushing the worn wood door open. He glanced around, stepping inside. There was a few paintings, a broken mirror, some old furniture and a couple of boxes.

He let his eyes flutter shut, trusting his instincts and letting himself follow the strong, alluring pull from the source of uneasiness.

He paused, opening his eyes to see his reflection in the mirror.

Seah, however, had taken a couple steps forward and stiffened." ...Marvin, go get Jameson. "

"No."

He turned to face Marvin, only to see a hand being held out to him and a spell recited aimed at him. "Pedica mahcte"

Sean was suddenly on his knees, torso wrapped in green chains embedded into the ground. "Marv, what the hell?!" He exclaimed, struggling to get free. "Let me go!"

"Hello, Your Highness."

He froze, feeling the blood drain from his face when he heard the all-too-familiar voice.

"...Anti..."

"I sure missed you, Sean," The man in the broken mirror apoke, leaning against the frame. His throat had a scar, stitches all across it. Black earrings were in his ears, and his attire seemed a bit old. But his eyes....a piercing harlequin green to match his hair, with a slitted pupil. His sclera was like a black void. "How many years has it been? Seven? Time is a bit off in this broken old thing."

He kept on, knife rolling between his fingers as he ignored the glare from the king. "It's funny, really. You knew what today was, didn't you? Thought you could keep everyone away from me by throwing a ball?" He gripped the blade of the knife now, cutting his palm and letting black blood drip to the bottom of the mirror.

He paused, regaining his composure. " Well, I think Marvin here has a couple of things to say to ya."

Sean's facade cracked, fear shining through as he looked at Marvin. Gone was the kindness, the concern he was so used to seeing in those jade irises. Now, there was only fury in those deep green eyes. He held up his hand.

"Fractis speculum cura et emendare Artem in nobis."

\--------------------

Jameson was shaky, hurrying through the halls to the ballroom. He had to find them, before it was too late. He had to tell them, tell them about the apprentice lost to him, the clawed hand reaching out from the broken mirror.

He hurried through the fray of people, looking for his companions. Eventually, they were spotted at a table, Henrik and Marissa talking while Jackie and Chase entertained Lucy.

The mute surged forward, pulling on Chase's arm in an attempt to get him and the others to follow. However, that plan failed, and Chase only shook his hand out of his.

"Jamie, what's going on?" He inquired, confused as to why he would suddenly be tugged away.

'We have to leave right now he can't be stopped,' He signed quickly, too quick for anyone to fully comprehend.

"Who can't what? Jamie, you're not making any sense!" Jackie spoke up, picking the little girl up.

"Calm down, old friend. Now, say zhe thing you just said, but sl-" the doctor was cut off by a loud bang.

It was Marvin, having opened the large wooden doors with more force than needed. Yet, something was off. But no one could quite place what.

He stepped forward, back straight, eyes meeting no one else's as he strode to the center of the ballroom.

One by one, the lights flickered and died, until there were only a few left to make the room dim.

He looked up.

Marvin had a malicious grin on his face, eyes slitted and seemingly glowing in the darkness. He laughed, though it sounded two-toned as shadows shifted around him.  
The group paled when they heard what other voice came from Marvin's mouth.

"Did you miss me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jxhvv zkr'v edfn. Edfn djdlq. Dqwl'v edfn. Whoo d iulhqg.
> 
> Its 3.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word Count: 1304  
> Warnings: Anti, Manipulation, puppeteering people, implied death, familial loss, blood, major character injury, choking (not the kinky kind, I'm afraid.) Man this chapter just keeps getting better and better doesn't it?  
> A/N: So.......mind not burning me for this? Jack already does that enough with the fandom. But the ending of this one made people screech at me, just a heads up.

The entire group seemed to pale as the corrupted mage caused the ballroom to panic. "...Anti, " Jackie breathed, almost inaudible in the midst of chaos.

Henrik snapped out of it first, grabbing Jameson and Jackie's arms. "We have to go."

Chase tried to make a run for it, in the opposite direction of the exit. Jaackie managed to wrench his arm from the doctor's grip, though, and nearly tackled the archer to the ground. "Chase no! "

"No!" He cried out, struggling to get free. "Get off of me, I need to save him! "

"Chase, there's nothing we can do," Signe had joined the group, resting a hand on the distressed male. "We have to get everyone out of here!"

But he continued to fight, trying to break free from the Head Guard's grip. "No! Im not losing my family! Not again!"

"...I'm sorry I have to do this," Henrik murmured, dealing a swift hit to the stomach just to knock the wind out of Chase. "What you want to do will get you killed and I'd rather not have to keep you from the brink of death again. Now, we need to get innocents out before they die, and that includes you. You are not pulling this bullshit again."

He carefully took the coughing, but calmer male from Jackie. "Signe, help Jackie get as many people out of here. I'll take care of Chase."

"What about Marvin?" Jackie asked.

'Ill take care of that,' Jameson signed, cutting off any words that Chase had to say.

"Are you sure Jamie?" Signe inquired, concern laced in her voice. "You lost your voice last time you went against Anti, and if he's controlling Marv..."

Jameson nodded, a solemn look in his eyes. 'I'd do anything if it meant there was a chance to save him."I

She returned his gaze with a sad smile, before turning and helping Jackie evacuate whoever they could.

\----------------------

Marvin was causing absolute chaos, his distorted laughter echoing in the large ballroom. As of now, almost half the people in the room were his puppets. They were under his spell.

And he was living for it.

No more ignorance. No more turning a blind eye to him.

No more of that.

A blue ball whizzed by him, mere inches from his face, and struck the wall beside him.

He whirled to the culprit, and grinned.

"Wel well well, if it isn't the little mute mentor?"

Jameson had one hand open, ready to throw a second ball of blue light. His eyes were drawn into a glare, and his other arm came up, ready to summon his cane if needed.

Marvin only grinned, continuing his taunts from his spot in the air. "Come to take me away again, magic man? Come to hunt me down and cage me up, hm?" 

He faltered for less than a second, but that was all that Marvin needed to make his move.

The card embedded itself to the marble floor behind him, a cut on his shoulder from the edge. He winced, the dark wood cane now in his hand. That...that hurt a bit.

He laughed. "This'll be easier than I thought!" Marvin exclaimed. He summoned three more cards, launching them at the wounded mage. But this time, Jameson was expecting it.

The air seemed to whistle as his cane swung through the cards, the end now having sharpened into a blade.

'Let him go.'

Marvin's face shone with realization, and he laughed. "Aww, you think this isn't me!" He strode forward, hovering over Jameson with pure malice in his eyes. "News flash, Jamie. Anti's not here. There's only me, your student that you failed."

A hand shot forward, curling around Jameson's throat. Marvin only seemed to grin, watching as his mentor struggled for air. "What's wrong? Can't breathe?" The mage cackled. He knew there wouldn't be much resistance from him, afterall. Jameson wouldn't want to hurt his little star pupil.

A silver platter whizzed through the air, hitting the arm that Marvin was holding Jameson with. He yelped, more out of shock than pain, and turned to the culprit.

Signe stood there, another platter in her hand. "Leave him alone!" She spat, eyes narrowed and ready to throw the other.

He seemed to growl, kicking Jameson away and rushed at her.

Marvin lashed out at her, aiming to cut her throat with his cards. But one second she was there, the next she was gone.

\---------------------

Jameson coughed, spitting out the metallic taste in his mouth onto the cold, damp grass. He had used the little magic energy he had left to get him and Signe out of there, and into the woods.

She rushed over, after spending a minute recovering from the sudden teleportation (Give her a break, she wasn't used to it) and tried to help Jameson up. It was a bit difficult, with him feeling so exhausted and her being a bit unsteady on her own feet, but they were eventually standing up.

'Why did you get me out of there...' He signed weakly, ' Not everyone was out of there...'

She shook her head. "We did get everyone out of there that we could. But there were people who wouldn't budge. They were being puppeted, Jamie."

Signe glanced around, helping up the wounded male. "Come on, we can't stay here," she murmured. " it's too close to the vastle, we're barely a few miles away."

He nodded, leaning onto her for support as they walked through the trees.

\------------------------

Jackie made sure to keep his large group as close together as he could, pushing them to their limits as he led them into the woods. Ethan, Kathryn, and Amy, the only three of Mark's inner circle whom had made it out unpuppeted besides the king himself, each led another group.

His group was heading to the North, Ethan's to the east, Amy to the South with Mark, and Kathryn to the West. Each had close to a hundred people, all on foot or being carried by other people. Even Jackie was helping, a young boy who lost his father clinging to his back.

They didn't stop for hours that night, until someone fainted. Jackie found them shelter by a pond, and would send out scouts within a mile radius to make sure no one found them. The other groups would be doing the same, continuing until someone got badly hurt or was close to passing out. All of them hoped, prayed, begged to whatever god they believed in for a sign, for some sort of saving grace.

For hope.

And he'd be damned if he couldn't give them any.

\---------------------

Henrik had Chase leaning on him as they threaded through the crowd. They were heading for the exit, while Henrik glanced around anxiously to find Marissa and Lucy.

Chase tapped him harshly on the shoulder, and pointed towards his family, before attempting to tell him something. Whatever it was fell on deaf ears, though, as the doctor pushed his way to the crowd to see his daughter and wife.

Marissa seemed to be looking for them as well, and once she caught sight of Henrik she scooped up Lucy and tried to get to him as fast as possible.

Suddenly, she froze. Her entire body seemed to stiffen, and Henrik paled when he saw the green thread around her neck. He snapped out of it when he saw the same thread curl around his daughter's neck.

Chase would never forget the agonized wail that came from the doctor's throat, or how he had to pull him away with Jamie's help and get him out of there. And he would never forget how, when they reached the stables, he saw one of the strongest people he knew break down and curl up into himself, shaking with ever sob that wracked through his body.

That was the night that Chase heard the most anguished, mournful cry of a man who lost his wife, his daughter, his son.

It was the cry of someone who had nothing left to lose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 01010000 01110101 01110000 01110000 01100101 01110100 01110011 00100000 01100001 01110010 01100101 01101110 00100111 01110100 00100000 01100001 01101100 01101100 01101111 01110111 01100101 01100100 00100000 01110100 01101111 00100000 01110100 01100001 01101011 01100101 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 01101001 01110010 00100000 01110011 01110100 01110010 01101001 01101110 01100111 01110011 00100000 01101111 01100110 01100110 00100001 00100000 01010111 01101000 01100001 01110100 00100000 01101000 01100001 01110000 01110000 01100101 01101110 01110011 00100000 01101001 01100110 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 01111001 00100000 01100100 01101111 00101100 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00100000 01100001 01110011 01101011 00111111 00100000 01001000 01100001 01101000 01100001 01101000 01100001 01101000 01100001 01101000 00101100 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100001 01110100 00100111 01110011 00100000 01100001 00100000 01110011 01101001 01101100 01101100 01111001 00100000 01110001 01110101 01100101 01110011 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 00101100 00100000 01101001 01110011 01101110 00100111 01110100 00100000 01101001 01110100 00111111 00100000 01001111 01100010 01110110 01101001 01101111 01110101 01110011 01101100 01111001 00101100 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 01111001 00100000 01100100 01101001 01100101 00100001


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word Count: 1196  
> Warnings: emotional breakdowns, abuse, puppeteering  
> A/N: As you can see, I'm not dead! Also, im 90% sure we're close to midway through the story, whoop!

Marvin stormed into the room, ignoring an impatient Anti in favor of unclasping and throwing his cloak onto the ground in rage. "They got away," he hissed, body tensed and ready to snap at any given moment.

"What do you mean they got away?" Anti was seething, taking a few strides towards the masked male.

Marvin still stood tall, unnervingly defiant in front of him. "I mean they fucking got away! " he hissed.

Anti clicked his tongue, moving next to the mage. He seemed terrifying calm. "Marvin," he murmured softly, as if he was about to talk to a significant partner.

That image was shattered quickly though, when he was pinned against the wall, hand around his neck and a piercing glare boring into Marvin's eyes. "I gave you everything you needed to fulfill your dreams, " He roared, "I gave you followers, gave you what you needed to reach your full potential. I gave you everything. Yet, you can't complete one miniscule task for me?"

Marvin showed the other male back, seething. "I'll fucking do it Anti! Lay off!"

"Don't tell me to lay off when you can't keep your part of the deal!" Anti was fuming by now, close to simply ending the boy.

Rather than finishing him off, though, he lifted Marvin by the collar and threw the masked male to the floor. One foot pressed onto Marvin's chest, keeping the hot-blooded male pinned to the ground. Anti stared down at him, teeth bared and looking ready to strike.

"Kill Jameson Jackson...or by god I'll take everything that's mine back."

 

"Chase!" Jackie passed the reins to another person, rushing forward to help his friends off their own horses, specifically Henrik.

"What happened?" He questioned, taking the seemingly sleepy male into his arms.

Immediately he clung to Jackie for dear life, clearly shaken by something. Jackie wrapped his arms around the older male. "...Chase, what happened?" He seemed scared, whether it was for Henrik's safety or for the answer he might receive, no one knew for sure.

The archer looked away, seeming ashamed as tears weled up in his eyes. "It's not my story to tell," he whispered, wrapping his arms around himself.

Jackie looked at him with concern, before scooping up the medic and carefully passing him to Chase. "Get him in the wagon, along with Jamie. Signe's in there too, she's been helping in any way she can," He instructed.

Chase nodded, Henrik unsurprisingly having passed out from exhaustion.

"And Chase?"

He looked up at the guard, meeting his eyes.

"Whatever happened, it wasn't your fault. Don't carry the burden yourself."

He blinked, but offered the guard a saddened smile and a shake of his head. Then he was gone, searching for the cart that Signe and Jamie had set up.

 

Signe looked up when she heard the cloth door move, setting her damp washcloth down in favor of getting up and helping Chase carry the medic. "Chase, Henrik! Are you two okay?" Shhe fretted, leading them to a makeshift bed next to Jameson.

"I'm fine, but Henrik is in bad shape," he paused. "Emotionally."

She looked up at him, grabbing the washcloth that was used for cleaning any wounds. Signe rinsed it off thoroughly, before working on the few scrapes and scratches on Henrik. "What happened to you?" She murmured. Chase didn't respond.

After a few quiet minutes, Signe looked up at the male. "I'll make sure he stays and save his energy in here," She glanced up at the silent archer. "I...Can you help out with the children? Some have parents who were..." She trailed off.

Chase nodded, offering her a reassuring smile as he stood. "Yeah, you can count on me Signe. "

 

"What happened?" Sean was concerned, for his citizens, his friends, his family. But he couldn't do anything except watch as Marvin paced, arms behind his back and stress etched into his features under the mask. Not much you can do when you're trapped in a mirror, afterall.

"They managed to slip away thanks to the magician and...and your little pet!" Marvin glowered, slamming his fists on the wood of the desk.

Jack was relieved. It meant the rest of his friends, no, his family had escaped. They were most likely planning some sort of revolt, most likely with Signe or Marissa leading. No, Marissa and Jackie, or even Chase. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, afterall, but she'd need someone to calm her down.

"They won't stand beside you, Marvin," Sean spoke up, knowing very well how his kingdom would never listen to Anti's control over the apprentice.

Marvin looked into the glass mirror, approaching it slowly. "The people already are, Sean, " he purred, one hand resting on the glass as green eyes met blue. "They may not fully be themselves, but they are."

He grinned, an idea forming in his head. Marvin hurried back to the desk, grabbing a pencil and paper. "But what if there were people who listened for rewards? Such as, oh I dunno....a loosened leash on a loved one?"

Sean froze, unsure of how to respond. On one hand, it would influence the people who made it out alive, and fully in control of themselves. On the other hand, it could give some openings.....

A knock at the door interrupted both of their thoughts, and Sean's thoughtful expression turned to one of horror.

"Anti wishes to see you, sir," Marissa spoke, her voice void of any emotion and thought, her usual green eyes seeming dull and lifeless. Marvin nodded in acknowledgement, and she curtsied and walked out. That was not the fiery, short -tempered woman he knew. That was a shell.

Sean pressed against the glass, panicking, trying to make the magician he once knew resurface. "Please reconsider, there must be-"

"There must be what?!" Marvin roared, cutting him off. He whirled to face the mirror once more, no longer resembling the real Marvin he once knew. "You had plenty of time, plenty of opportunities to fix the problem! But you stood back and simply just watched! This is all your fault!"

Every accusation stung, and Sean could do nothing but watch as he stalked out of the room, all hope draining from hus veins.

"I'm sorry," he whispered , collapsing into a ball onto the bottom of the mirror.  
Those two words seemed to trigger an avalanche of feelings, and he cried out in pain, in fear, in sadness. He cried for every life thought to be taken, every life controlled, every life he couldn't save.

Marvin was right.

It was all his fault.

 

Outside, a man watched the emptiness of the people's actuons. He knew what was happening, of course, and he knew exactly who was responsible for it. But unlike most people, he also knew the why.

The male shook his head, scratching an old scar, a bad habit of his when he was anxious.

He could only hope that the madness would end soon, and that every person was alright, just so he might have some semblance of a family once again.

He didn't want to lose him again. Not like last time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dro oxnsxq sc qyxxk rebd iye fobi lknvi lomkeco s qyd kx kxqcdi snok kxn sw CYBBI


	8. More of an edit notice, I'm afraid

I'm sorry for not updating recently!

Recently I've noticed how my writing...isn't the best. And that I haven't really followed a clear storyline about what I'm doing. So, I've come to a decision.

I'm going to rewrite it.

Of course, it'll follow the same storyline and everything, but I'll be expanding a bit more on the characters with a bit of help from some writer friends. And I won't post the new one until I've gotten just as far as this one, maybe even further so i have some backup chapters if i havent updated it in a while.

So I'm sorry guys, but it's going to take a little while longer for you to get an update. But once the new story is finished, i hope you'll reread it. I plan on adding a couple more details here and there, afterall.

Until next time guys!


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